TAMPA — It turns out there’s more than one way to wipe that seemingly perpetual smile off Robinson Cano’s face. You needn’t limit him to three hits in 40 postseason at-bats.

Presented yesterday morning with general manager Brian Cashman’s contention the Yankees made him a “significant offer,” the good-natured Cano looked uncomfortable.

“I want to focus on playing baseball,” the second baseman said. And then, the often-earnest homegrown product added this, about his impending potential free agency and his talks with the Yankees to forego that:

“It’s never going to [be] out of your head. That’s all I can say.”

Here’s all I can write: This situation calls for a timeout. Lasting seven to eight months. Both sides should agree to shut down negotiations until the Yankees’ season concludes.

That’s not happening, at least not yet.

“Robinson’s OK with us continuing to talk,” Cano’s agent, Scott Boras, told The Post yesterday in a telephone interview. “We want the negotiations to take place in a submarine, not on top of the Empire State Building.”

Boras holds no hard feelings toward Cashman, who unwittingly advanced the story Thursday when he divulged the Yankees extended a substantive offer to Cano. Cashman thought he was merely reiterating Hal Steinbrenner’s previous comments about the Cano talks. Not quite, and that earned Cashman the playful nickname of “Biden” at the Steinbrenner Field executive level.

In any case, Boras said: “From my experience with superstar players, players have got to play. Robinson is one of the leaders of the team. He’s hitting in the middle of the lineup. If it’s going to be a distraction to him and his team, then we’ll cease to negotiate.”

When you run a cost-benefit analysis of the two options here — 1) continuing to talk about an agreement and 2) stopping the talks — number two scores considerably better.

As much as the Yankees and Boras can try to keep their dialogue underground, stuff will come out, because it always does. And that will cause more moments like yesterday.

Would such chatter impact Cano’s 2013 season? Maybe, maybe not.

“I think Robbie will be able to block it out,” manager Joe Girardi said.

Yet would these talks lead to the ultimate benefit of Cano bypassing the open market and staying with the Yankees? You never say never, but it sure seems unlikely.

Look at it this way: Joey Votto, the Reds’ first baseman, signed a 10-year, $225 million extension with small-market Cincinnati nearly a year ago. It keeps him under contract through age 40. So why would Cano, who is 30 now and who plays a premium position — and is a strong defender, for that matter — accept a dollar less than Votto’s total package? Why wouldn’t he try to get considerably more, given that the Yankees are who they are and, just in the last year, the Dodgers have grown into giants and Major League Baseball signed lucrative television agreements?

And would the Yankees, having been fried to a crisp by their 10-year, $275 million commitment to Alex Rodriguez, really be willing to go 10 more years with Cano?

Boras historically takes his clients to free agency. The Yankees historically let their employees hit free agency. There’s a reason this methodology works well for both sides: It minimizes the noise, and both Boras and the Yankees are comfortable assuming considerable risk.

Cano and Boras would be betting on the second baseman to put together a characteristically healthy, productive season. The Yankees would be wagering on their tradition of retaining the people they want to retain, be it by financial might or emotional tug.

A shutdown means we’d still dig, only to come up with nothing. Cano still would receive the occasional question or 40 about his situation, and he could defer to Boras knowing the situation will remain static.

There’s something to be said for both a player and a team learning — and drawing closer — from the open market. After the 1998 season, beloved center fielder Bernie Williams declared free agency and met with a handful of teams while the Yankees, frustrated by their talks with Williams, worked on other options. When their deal with Albert Belle fell through, there was Williams, armed with both large offers from other clubs and the desire to stay in The Bronx. And the two sides hammered out a seven-year, $87.5 million deal.

This one appears more hairy: Cano plays a position replete with quick declines, and he isn’t as popular as was Williams. On the flip side, the Yankees, defined by their $189 million mandate for next year, need Cano more now than they did Williams then.

There is plenty of drama and tension to come. So why not table it so everyone can better enjoy this 2013 season?